Return
by kateandroger
Summary: Story 3 of the.. K&R Series. No cheesy cover this time. Kate and Roger return from their flights and missions, and meet up once more. Some emotional cheesy stuff happens, possible foreshadowing, is this series even worth reading? You decide.


It was a round-trip; they visited Cuba and many of those sunny warm countries. Laura tried to cheer her up multiple times, and finally asked what the problem was. "Boy troubles.." Kate replied.

"No way! You have a boy? Wait. Is it that one you keep talking to? I always see you go up to a man, about 6 feet? Wears suits and sweaters?"

Kate nodded and sighed.

"No way, Kate! You're in love with someone! Let's hope he keeps you happy! When we touch down in New York, call him."

"But-"

"No buts. Call him and tell him how much you've missed him and how it's tearing you apart."

Kate smiled at her younger sister. They were always there for each other. "And smile through it, dear!" yelled Laura.

At night, both men, Anderson and Niko, tormented her dreams. They were there every night, and every night, she woke up, hyperventilating. But then she would remember how Anderson squeezed her hand whenever he was feeling overprotective, and she calmed down enough to go back to sleep.

When they touched down in New York, she didn't even stop at home. She hailed a cab to Anderson's flat, knocked on the door, and immediately hugged him. "I.. I missed you," she said, her voice cracking and filled with emotion.

In response, he held her tightly, kissed her, and then held her shoulders. "Kate, you don't take into account how much I missed you.."

He pulled her into the room; Roger looked at her for a moment before leaning closer and threading a hand through her red hair. "Roger, what are you doing?" asked Kate; but anything she was going to say after that was forgotten as Roger crashed his lips onto hers.

"I…I can't take it anymore." Roger whispered in her ear as he pulled away from the kiss, and he edged closer, pressing Kate even closer to the wall. "I want you." Kate barely heard him, she wasn't even sure he actually said it or if it was her imagination.

Kate put her hands on either side of Roger's face and pulled him towards her, kissing him. He clutched her hair and rested a hand on her hip with his free hand, pulling her towards him. Roger's tongue begged for entrance at Kate's lips and she let him in willingly.

Grinding his hips into hers, Roger pressed Kate hard against the wall and she moaned. "Roger…" She breathed, "I…" Roger kissed her quickly and started taking off his jacket. Kate smirked slightly and pushed his spenders down his arms so that they hung by his hip. Roger wasted no time unbuttoning his shirt, tossing it uncaringly to some corner of the hotel room.

"Roger," Kate moaned and his cool hand slide down her back, following the zipper.

"Yes Kate?" He whispered in her ear as then nipped at her earlobe and slowly slipped her dress sleeves down her arms, letting the yellow fabric poll on her hips.

"What are you waiting for?" Kate replied, running her hands over his chest and kissing down his jawline.

[Sorry, this ends here, I'm not much of a person to write about sex. Let's skip past the more intimate parts, shall we?]

Kate smiled and kissed him softly, all the lust was gone and replaced with a sweet passion. Kate pressed herself against Roger's chest again, feeling unusually warm. "I love you." Roger heard her, or more like felt her, say against his chest as she drifted off to sleep.

He smiled and rested his chin on the crown of her head, whispering. "It's true, Kate Cameron. I love you." He whispered before following her into sleep.

[Aww. By the line "all the lust was gone", you can infer there was lust… Just saying. But they really love each other, no?]

* * *

The next morning, Kate woke up, pulled on a nightgown, and hopped on over to the kitchen, where Anderson was frying some eggs. [You'd think that I/Kate would stop calling him Anderson, but it's hard not to. It's like the perfect last name. But calling Richard "Parks" doesn't sound right, because that is not a good name to call an agent, despite that being his last name.]

She hovered by the doorway [aka leaning against the wall], then walked over to Anderson. "Good morning, love!" called Anderson, not taking his eyes off of the eggs. Kate leaned by him provocatively and whispered "Good morning to you too, Roger," and slipped off to the toaster, where two pieces of toast had just popped out. She took one and slathered some butter onto it. She took a bite, set it down on a plate, and grabbed a cup of tea. She then looked out the window to watch the forever busy roads of New York.

Anderson finished up the eggs, and sprinkled some pepper onto them. "It feels so peacefully calm, now that I've met you, Kate. I wake up every morning feeling purposeful, and when I see your face, it gives me reason to get on with the day. Every time I'm away, I feel distracted not knowing where you are or what you're doing. I feel overprotective often. This feeling of love.." he gestured hopelessly.

"Oh stop it," Kate blushed. "You're just trying to seduce me."

"I'm surprised at what you think of me."

"You don't really love me that much, do you?"

Anderson pulled her into his arms and caressed her. "I love you, I love you, I love you, Katherine Cameron, and I'm never letting you go."

She giggled and tried to free herself.

He kissed her lightly and said, "I'm true to my word."

She smiled, and thought for a second. "Your reserved British spy part of you would never be so open and affectionate-"

His face contorted.

"no offence really- so I suppose,"

His eyes lit up.

"that you really love me."

"Your assumption is correct, Miss Cameron," he said smiling, releasing his grip. "I have to do a few errands.. Let's say we take a drive around town?"

"I'd love to. Just let me get dressed- oh shoot, I left my heels over at my apartment-"

"I'll drive you there."

* * *

*25 minutes later*

As Kate was walking up to her apartment, she was stopped by Laura.

[Laura] "Kate! Where have you been?! I was getting worried! I wanted to ask you if you had an extra garter…"

"Oh um Laura! Hi! I do have an extra you could borrow, follow me." She went up to her room, unlocked the door, and let Laura in. She searched around and found a garter for Laura.

"Thanks so much, I borrowed one of Maggie's and it ripped so I need to replace it before she finds out.." She ran out of the room and quickly hailed a cab, hoping that Maggie hadn't arrived home yet.

Kate smiled and shook her head.

She decided that since she would be staying at Anderson's place for a while, that she should think long term. She found an empty box in her hall closet and piled in a lot of her clothes, a few books, and a few photos that were taken during Pan Am trips. She smiled when she picked up the photos because one was of all of them debriefing at a bar in Paris. She then hauled it downstairs, where Anderson was waiting in the lobby.

"Are you planning to move in?" he asked.

"Not quite- I just have some clothes and books."

He raised his eyebrows and took the box from her.

"I can carry it myself-" she protested, but Anderson was already loading it into his trunk.

Kate sighed and hopped into the passenger's seat. "Next stop?" she asked.

"I need to stop at the supermarket."

*10 minutes later*

Kate was off, saying she needed to buy a new bottle of perfume. Roger started walking around the store, pushing a shopping cart, and putting the things he needed into the cart. He got a dozen eggs, a package of bread, spaghetti sauce, pasta, meatballs, steak, etc. He also bought a new lighter and a pack of cigarettes. As he went to go checkout, Kate walked up to him, asking which dress was better. The white one with a flower; or the green curve-enhancing one.

"Kate, I'll buy them both. Just give them here."

"No, no. It's too much," she said, holding the dresses out of his reach.

"You're forgetting the CIA doesn't give you any pennies?"

Kate stopped for a moment in thought, and Anderson snatched up the dresses.

"Anderson-"

But he had already paid for both.

As they were walking out to the car, they started talking.

"Anderson, what's your cover job?"

"Hm?"

"I'm a Pan Am stewardess."

"Oh, that."

"So, what is it? I'm curious. You need to be able to travel, but you can't be a stewardess obviously," she laughed, " and I don't really see you as a pilot either. So what are you?"

"You're right about the pilot part, though I am trained to fly a plane if I need to escape from a country."

"Are you evading the question?"

"Sort of."

"Why?"

"It's..mundane."

"Spill it."

"I'm a soviet accountant."

"A soviet accountant? How can you fall back on that? If someone discovers you.. I mean how can you be a soviet accountant? You're british! And soviet accountants don't travel."

"Actually, that's one of my covers.. I'm really a photographer for a London newspaper…"

"Makes more sense, you can travel everywhere to get the best photos. I never really saw you as a photographer though."

"You're judging me."

"No."

"Yes, you are."

"Fine, I'm judging you! Do all London photographers have to be so reserved?" she said jokingly.

"We're going to go to the post office to pick up some mail next," he said, avoiding Kate's question.

* * *

*30 minutes later*

"Is there anything for Roger Anderson?"

"Yes there is, sign here please."

He signed the paper (he has 2 signatures, a real one and a cover one, he signs a cover one when he doesn't want it to be traced back to him) with his cover signature. He was then given a box, not much larger than the size of say, a dictionary. And a small letter was addressed to him.

"What is it?" asked Kate curiously.

He opened the letter first.

It said, "You're supposed to be unattached, you aren't supposed to get involved. Being with Kate Cameron is a risky choice- wouldn't it be _so_ awful if something happened to her?"

He turned the letter upside down. He checked the envelope. No name. It was anonymous- a threat. On Kate's safety. His hand trembled; he shook slightly.

"Anderson? Is something wrong?"

His hand was still shaking when she loosened his grasp on the letter. She took it for herself and read it. "It's probably nothing," she said, reassuring him.

"Kate, you don't understand. I've made many enemies throughout my career; it was dangerous to include you in my life. This is a serious threat, Kate. Richard's wife died of something similar to this, a threat on her life. They ignored it, and one day… She was unexpectedly taken from her mission, and the kidnapper- an enemy of Richard's- wasted no time in killing her."

Kate had no response.

"Maybe," he said painfully, "we should separate ourselves."

"NO!" Kate called out. "I.. I can't lose someone else!" she started stifling sobs.

"Kate.." he tried to reassure her.

"I won't have it!' she shrieked. "It's barely been 3 months and another man I love has to leave me! Is there something wrong with me? Am I falling in love with the wrong people? Maybe it's because I always fall in love with spies.." said Kate, sniffling a little in a heroic attempt to hide her tears.

"Kate, please don't cry."

"Don't tell me what to do!" She glared at him, tears streaming out of her eyes, face flushed. He pulled her closer to him.

"Want me to kiss it and make it better?" His face had done a complete 180; he looked repentant. She hiccupped through my tears and nodded. He kissed her sweetly.

"I'm sorry Kate. I'll, I'll try to think of something."

She wouldn't meet his eyes. She knew that it was hopeless, things were never that easy. She just tried to stop crying for the moment, because she couldn't think about what lied ahead. She silently wept in his arms..

* * *

The next morning felt bleak, and melancholy. She dressed and prepared breakfast, Roger still asleep in the bed.

He woke up 10 minutes later, as she was preparing her bacon. He went up to her, as if to say something, but she wouldn't look into his eyes. She wanted to feel reassured, and feel safe and calmed by his gaze. But she couldn't, she wouldn't look up at him. She couldn't be fooled into believing- believing that everything was going to be fine. He moved away, sadly, and made his breakfast in silence, feeling dispirited also.

Kate and Roger: "If I touch a burning candle, I can feel no pain, in the ice or in the sun it's all the same. Yet I feel my heart is aching, though it doesn't beat, it's breaking, and the pain here that I feel, try and tell me it's not real. I know that I am dead, yet it still seems that I have some tears to shed." [The Corpse Bride, Tim Burton 2005] Kate wiped away a tear as she ate, standing, not willing to sit by Roger. [I used that quote because it accurately displays their pain; they won't leave each other, but it seems necessary for Kate's safety. None will face each other. None will speak.]

Anderson spoke up. "I care about you. Quite a lot, actually."

Kate looked up.

"And, despite what you might be thinking, I can't leave you either. I can't wake up without you beside me, now that I know the feeling. It's selfish of me, I know. I would keep you, disregarding the safety risks. Your safety."

Kate met his longing stare. She did feel a glimmer of something. Hope? No, it was a promise. She felt him promising her to keep her safe. Her brain was more rational than her heart, but even it believed the promise. Safety. Staying with him. He was safety.

He brought his hands up to his head, and put his head on the table. "No, I must be mad.. It's not safe, but.. you. I want you to stay with me.." he shook his head violently. He felt ready to kick another lamp.

"Shh..shh.." calmed Kate. "We don't have to deal with this right away. Let me see the letter."

Anderson handed her the letter.

She read over it, and looked it the envelope one more. She noticed something in the folds. It was an old fashioned seal, just like the used in the olden days, glued there. It told you who sent the letter, even if you couldn't read [back then].. It was red, and made of wax, like they traditionally were, and it had an "I" and a symbol on it.

"Anderson, do you know what this means?" she asked quizzically.

"A seal? Odd. An 'I', and some sort of symbol.. hmm."

"Wait!" she jumped up and left the room, returning with a Pan Am brochure.

"Yes," she said, flipping through the brochure, "I'd know that anywhere. That symbol is the Roman aqueducts."

"Rome. An 'I'. What could this possibly mean?"

"Perhaps a Roman with the initial 'I' sent this?"

"They're teasing us, I know it."

"Maybe you could contact the Roman government? Secret agents?"

"I'd doubt they would give away names of their secret agents.. I have a colleague stationed in Rome. I'll call him and see what information he can provide us."

* * *

*10 minutes later*

"Jasper."

"You never call me, Roger, why now?"

"I need your help on something."

"What? A mission? You know I'm stationed in Rome."

"Your assignment?"

"Itala Latro. She's an Itailian spy with Roman heritage. Why?"

"She sent a letter threatening-"

"She can't hold anything against you, you graduated top of the class in everything! You were even the tallest.."

"She threatened Kate Cameron."

"Oh, that courier you were assigned to? Eesh. She's in real danger. Itala is skilled with knives, if you know what I mean. But why threaten her?"

"I…I.. remember that mission 10 years ago I went on? Sent her tumbling through the ocean?"

"Oh, she may have never forgiven you about that.. but that was you, not Cameron."

*Awkward Silence*

"Wait a minute.."

Anderson braced himself [for humiliation].

"WAIT A MINUTE! Hot damn, Roger Anderson associates himself with a Miss Kate Cameron! Whooee, never knew you had it in you!"

Anderson let out a painful groan.

Jasper kept rambling. "..never thought I'd see the day.. gonna get married? Haha Anderson's got a _girl_.. you seem so overprotective now… she's turned you into a softie… no wonder they threatened her… maybe Itala feels that Kate has better skills… she must have better skills for softening you… HAHA…"

"WILL YOU CUT TO THE CHASE ALREADY JASPER?!" yelled an irritated Anderson.

"Alright, alright, jeez Anderson, you know I was the class clown! Let's see.. my file says she's-"

"The file's no help; tell me what you know Jasper!"

"Well I found out she's staying at an inn named 'The Inn at the Spanish Steps'- weird name. She's using her real name. But the file says she's dyed her hair brown."

"Thank god," he muttered, "red didn't suit her. It would've also been awkward, a redhead friend and a redhead foe; both females…" A short silence ensued. "Thank you Jasper."

"Anything for ," he said, smirking on his end.

Roger put the phone back on the receiver. He rubbed his forehead. Jasper was still annoying, but they were always there for each other.

"Seems like 'Jasper' is a real joker," said Kate, smiling.

"Yes indeed.."

"So we'll be flying to Rome?"

"Ah yes. But what we're going to do once we get there- I don't know."

"Pan Am?"

"I suppose.. this isn't exactly an authorized 'mission', so we don't have a private jet."

Kate smiled. There was a sure chance her fellow stewardesses would be on the flight- the reason she wasn't was because she was rerouted to Italy; her flight was next week. She suspected it was because she had a mission of some sort, but Richard hadn't contacted her yet- and the reason why the rest of her crew wasn't rerouted also was something to think about.

* * *

*10 minutes later*

"Let's go Kate, we're leaving."

"Wait.. how did you pack up so fast?"

"A suit and other clean garments (such as socks) are all I need. What are you packing?" he asked curiously, because if she took more than 10 minutes… and didn't she already have her things packed into her Pan Am bag?

"I- I'm having a bit of trouble."

"What sort of trouble?"

When she didn't reply, he walked into his room (where she was).

"Aughh- Anderson!"

He quickly turned around, his back facing her. His face turned a little red.

"Some privacy please?"

She was having trouble because her undergarments ripped, and she was quickly trying to sew up the loose ends. All she was wearing was a thin nightgown. A _white _thin nightgown. "Finished!" she yelled out, slipping the undergarments on. Anderson's walk-in was embarrassing, because even though they'd slept together before, that was at night, in the dark, under covers.

Anderson was relieved, and turned back to face her. She was zipping up a red dress.

"Have you ever considered knocking?" she asked, walking by him, carrying the nightgown to put it back into her bag.

"Ermm…"

"I didn't answer so you got worried? Please Anderson, in two seconds someone could've taken me hostage. That's very plausible."

"It is!" he protested, pretending to admire some cracks on the celling.

"Really? Tell me of an experience."

"People hide in shadows, or outside the windows. When the moment comes, BAM. They cover your mouth and drag you away."

Kate rolled her eyes. "It's New York! Someone climbing outside of my window would be noticed quickly.."

He scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"Men.."

Anderson checked his watch. "We're going to be late! We have 15 minutes to rush over there- come on Kate!" he pulled her arm, and she hurriedly grabbed her bag and zipped it up. "No time to waste!" He got into his car and drove a bit over the speed limit.

When they arrived, an intercom was calling out: "Pan Am intercontinental flight to Rome taking off in exactly 2 minutes, all passengers must be on at that point. Have a good day!"

They hurried through security [I don't think there was much security back then actually..] and pushed through the doors to get onto the platform. They were closing the door. "LAURA DO NOT CLOSE THAT DOOR ON ME!" yelled Kate.

"Oh-wow hi Kate! What are you doing here?"

"I-I have to pick up something for mother in Rome." She stammered.

"What does she want? Couldn't she have come herself?"

"She wants a new dress to show off to those DAR gossips- apparently is hosting a party, and mother wants to upstage her with a dress from Rome." She sighed. [The DAR gossips and are mentioned in We'll Always Have Paris.]

Laura lowered her voice. "And you're bringing along your boyfriend?"

"Okay, you got me. It isn't necessarily just to get a dress for mother…"

Laura squealed in delight. "Which seat are you sitting in?"

"Anderson?" Kate turned around.

"3 and 4D."

[What is with the seat "3D"? EVERYONE sits there.]

"First class?" asked Kate quizzically. "Oh really, you shouldn't have gone through the trouble.. I mean I could've gotten the gals to let me sit in first class for free-"

"We'd have been happy to give you a seat for free actually-"said Laura winking. "Hey Maggie, Collette! Guess who's here!"

By then, they were in the plane. Laura locked the door behind them.

"Kate!" exclaimed Collette and Maggie, walking towards them.

"What brings you to Rome?" asked Collette, in her usual friendly way.

Maggie nudged her [Collette].

"Oh I see.." she nodded, smiling. She had noticed Anderson.

"Will you debrief with us in Rome?" asked Maggie, obviously wanting details.

"Of course," said Kate with a grin.

As they walked to their seats, Anderson raised his eyebrows. "Debriefing in Rome?"

"I know I'm not a stewardess on this flight, but debriefing with the girls is a regular thing after flights. Besides, they really want to know about you." Kate had a twinkle in her eye.

"M-me?"

"I walk onto a plane with a man on my arms; that's sure to cause some.. curiosity. Set their inquiring minds aquiver. [Richard quote]"

He sighed and rested his hand on his arm, which was crooked.

"How are you going to explain me? Hmmm..?"

"I already have my work cut out for me, as it seems. Apparently Laura has noticed me with you multiple times." She smiled.

Anderson just looked at her, his eyebrows slightly raised.

"I met you on a London flight, since you are a photographer you travel a lot, so I coincidentally met up with you often.. And then you kissed me on my Paris flight." She ended mischievously.

"Funny.. I remember it being the other way around."

"It makes a better story," she protested.

"You'll have to add more detail, spontaneous kissing sounds a bit suspicious, no?"

"You kissed me on my Paris flight because.." she faltered.

"It's hard, isn't it? Coming up with lies? You know the truth, but you can't mention your mission."

"Yes, of course.. because, because, you surprised me with jewelry?"

"If I surprise you with jewelry, don't you think you would've been obliged to kiss me instead of the other way around? There's a falter in your story!"

Kate started to say something, but a forgotten memory decided to push itself through.

_At that moment, when she felt like she was about to crack and spill everything to her friend, someone caught her eye behind Bridget. It was Anderson asking for a table for one signaling that it was almost time to leave. And instead of igniting even more trepidation, his presence slightly calmed her. Even though Bridget had just informed her that an agent should keep their safety as his or her top priority, Anderson had done all that he could to make sure that she was safe from prosecution. And while she understood that the lie would also protect him, it was his own idea to lie in order to protect her._

_Even though the lie was what initially frightened her, now it partially comforted her. She was not entirely alone. She did not have to be afraid. Kate just had to remember that she had someone to rely on; and at the moment, she did not have to save herself by herself._

She shuddered.

"Kate? What's wrong?"

"N-nothing."

He cracked a guess. "Paris. Memories. Haunting."

Anderson knew her well. "Memories," she replied. "Not necessarily haunting ones, though."

Anderson had a flashback of his own.

_He was moments away from grabbing the man when Bolger spun and knocked him to the cold floor with his case. He stood quickly, tensed to fight…and fight they did. Blood began to trickle from his nose as Bolger's fist connected with his eye before Roger managed to smash the jeweler into one of the glass cases before hoisting him to collide with the wall. There was blood on the wall and on his face, although he was quite sure that some of it wasn't his own. The man might have been a jeweler but he certainly fought like someone who didn't have any qualms about trying to break someone's jaw. A switchblade in the hands of that lunatic would have been enough to deal with even if he had been armed, but his gun had flown into a corner somewhere as they fought and he was bloody screwed, being beaten to a pulp by a traitor. The jeweler had loomed over him for a split second before lunging…and then fallen as a gunshot rang off the marble. He wheezed to his feet to face his savior and saw Kate holding his gun with shaking hands. He took on the task of approaching Kate. She still stood there, staring at the wall, her hands trembling uncontrollably. Her arms had to be growing tired from being held out like that. She had a look in her eyes. Like a lost doe. So innocent, so scared. So shocked. From the floor, Roger stared up at her, almost in a daze. He couldn't believe she had it in her… well, actually he could. What he couldn't believe was that she just shot someone to save his life. He suddenly felt the need to comfort her; shield her. He knew what they would do to her. MI6. "Kate?" He spoke softly, coaxing her arms down and slipping the gun from her hands. "Kate?" Her head shook, suddenly hearing his voice managed to shake her from the stupor. For the first time she looked away from the wall and towards the man standing next to her."Roger?" Her voice was just as unsteady as the rest of her. "I killed him… I killed him, didn't I?" "Yes." He answered bluntly. "Kate, you need to run." As he said this, his stony countenance almost faltered. He took the gun, and slumped to the floor. Everything had gone to hell._

"Roger? Roger?" Kate was almost hysterical now. "Roger?!"

"It's okay, it's okay," he murmured to her, trying to shake the suppressed memories from his mind.

"What- what happened?"

"Damn suppressed memories," he said, trying to manage a chuckle. He sighed, and rubbed his temple as if to erase the memory from his mind, but the image still remained.

"I hope I never have to go back," she muttered. "But then again, it's such a popular destination it's almost inevitable.."

He tried to change the topic. "Spontaneous kissing is okay, they'll be too hungry for the details to care," he said, offering his hand for reassurance.

* * *

*2 hours later*

Kate and Anderson were stepping off of the plane, though not together. Kate was leaving with the gals, off to some bar Maggie's newest "friend" was going to. She waved a silent goodbye, but before they parted ways, he handed her a slip of paper, with a quote. She read it out loud.

"When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew. –William Shakespeare."

Anderson straightened his coat, and let go of her hand. He walked away. "Anderson, wait!" But he had already blended in with the crowd. She smiled. "_That man is so cryptic. And surprisingly romantic," _she thought to herself.

* * *

*Later on that evening; AKA 30 minutes later, at the bar*

Maggie was begging her for details. "How, what, when, where, why?" She looked like an eager puppy. Or a child on Christmas morning. "How was the sex?"

Everyone looked at Maggie, giving her looks as to say, "Seriously?" But Maggie just shrugged, "I want details, I can't wait anymore! Do you feel different?"

Everyone talked at the same time. "Maggie, that's private…" Then giggled because when you and your friends talk in unison, it's always funny.

"That's what girlfriends are for!" she said in her defense [Maggie].

Collette was less pushy. "Are you in love?" she said in that cute little French way of hers.

Laura, more pushy than Collette, but less pushy than Maggie, asked, "Is he handsome? Romantic?"

"Rich?" chimed in Maggie, once more.

Collette spoke for Kate. "Everyone, everyone, give her time to respond!"

Kate was laughing and smiling at everyone. "So many questions!" she said jovially. "Where to start..?"

"Me me me me! Mine first! Come on I'm your sister, Kate!" "Oh alright, Laura.. He's _very _handsome, and to answer your other question.." she dug around in her purse. "Here's what he gave me when we left the plane." She handed the [now] folded slip of paper to Laura and everyone craned their necks to get a look.

"Shakespeare!" said Maggie, surprised.

"What a man, no?" asked Collette, bringing up her glass to toast Kate's.

"He seems sweet!" gushed Laura.

"Mine next!" begged Maggie.

"How, when, where, why… I met him in London, a few months ago." She faltered. Should she say she first met him on the flight? Would they remember if he was or wasn't? Would Laura remember? He did talk to her- with a Russian accent. "And- and we met in the hotel bar," she lied. "I was sitting alone, and he was there. He asked what the time was," she lied once more, remembering the spy strategy. "And to answer your other question.. he was very, acrobatic." She smiled mischievously.

Laura breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't want to hear the details. Maggie claimed that's what girlfriends did, but hearing about your sister's sex life was a bit awkward. Collette was a bit too tipsy on champagne to care about the awkwardness of the situation, and Maggie was the one who asked the question, anyway.

"I'm jealous!" she proclaimed. "Acrobatic, handsome, romantic," she held her hand in the air. [Like during the flashback scene in that one episode; when you see her applying to Pan Am; she's walking a bit.. proudly. And she was holding her hand in the air. Bending her hand.] "What perfect qualities."

"And Collette," said Kate, turning to face her, "I'm in love, in love, in lovveee!"

Collette smiled and Laura clapped.

"Shout it from the rooftops, girl!" cheered on Maggie.

"LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVV VVVVVEEE!" yelled Kate.

Their table got a lot of looks and glares.

Everyone burst out laughing.


End file.
